Communication systems allow users to connect and communicate with other users. Indeed, a user of a communication system, such as a social networking system, may create a profile accessible via the communication system that corresponds to a user identity and enables the user to follow other users, view digital content originating from other users, and otherwise engage in a user experience with other users of the communication system. Because of the increasing popularity of online communication and networking, as well as the increasing amount of digital media shared via users of various communication systems, a communication system (e.g., a social networking system) provides an ideal forum for merchants, marketers, and other entities to increase awareness and boost sales for products and services. In addition, communication systems provide an ideal forum for users to receive information and inquire about various products and services.
Many merchants increase awareness by distributing digital media (e.g., images, videos) to users of conventional communication systems. For example, many merchants provide digital media via sponsored advertisements delivered or otherwise made available to users of the communication system. In addition, many merchants enlist third-party users (e.g., influencers) to provide images and videos to further engage users of the communication system and increase awareness about various products and services. Conventional systems for increasing awareness via distributed digital media, however, has various drawbacks and limitations.
For example, conventional communication systems often fail to provide an effective way for viewers of digital media to learn more information about products shown within digital media. For instance, where a user views or otherwise receives a photo (or other digital media) in which an article of clothing is shown, a viewer of the photo often fails to immediately recognize the brand or model of the article of clothing. As a result, the viewer often expends considerable effort to learn more about the article of clothing by sending a message to an originator of the digital media or, alternatively, searching for the article of clothing via third-party websites.
In addition conventional methods for raising product awareness often fail to provide a user experience that enables users to conveniently purchase the product shown within digital media. For example, while conventional techniques for delivering digital media generally involve providing a photo or video in which a product appears, in order to purchase the product, users typically visit a store associated with the product at a later time or navigate to a third-party website associated with the merchant in order to purchase the product. As such, users often forget about the product or, alternatively, experience frustration when switching between websites that provide substantially different user experiences.
Further, merchants and other providers of digital media often fail to provide digital media that realistically represents products (e.g., goods and/or services) to typical users of the communication system. As an example, in order to portray an article of clothing in the best possible light, a merchant may professionally produce a video in which a particular clothing ensemble is shown by a model in a controlled environment (e.g., a professional photo-shoot). While professionally produced media effectively shows a positive side of the product as the merchant wants the product to appear, many consumers hesitate to purchase clothing or other products without seeing how the product appears or is used under normal circumstances and by a variety of individuals.
In addition, merchants often fail to deliver digital media that effectively engages individual users of the communication system. In particular, even where a merchant produces digital media that shows different ways of how a product appears or how it may be used, merchants are still limited in what digital media is provided as well as how the digital media is delivered to particular users. For example, merchants are often limited to providing digital media delivered directly from the merchant. In addition, merchants are often limited to distributing digital media produced by or otherwise originating from the merchant. As such, merchants often fail to provide digital media that effectively engages individual users of the communication system.
Moreover, merchants often fail to predict which products shown within digital media will maximize engagement of users of the communication system and ultimately result in end-users purchasing corresponding products. For example, while many merchants gather information about customers and purchased products, merchants nevertheless experience difficulty identifying content (e.g., products) to include within digital media that will positively influence users to engage with and eventually purchase an associated product. As such, merchants often provide fail to deliver digital media that maximize engagement by users of the communication system.
These and other problems exist with regard to providing a positive user experience with regard to providing digital content items that enable users to interact with and receive information about products shown therein.